double tragedy
by peppaoceangal
Summary: Fire at the ingalls house and a mysterious new guest!
1. Chapter 1

"Pa, are we going on a really long road trip?" Laura asked.

"No, just to Mancato, we'll stay the night and then head back home. Check on your sister please Laura"

Laura crept to the back of the wagon to find Grace asleep. She crawled back through the front of the wagon to find Pa stopping the wagon.

"What is it Pa?" Then she noticed a girl lying on the ground. Pa jumped out of the wagon and turned the girl over, she looked very ragged, and was quietly stirring.

"What is your name?" Charles asked softly.

"Helena" the girl whispered.

"Are you far from home?" Charles asked.

"Don't have a home," Helena answered.

"We will take you to Silver Lake," Charles replied.

"Okay" Helena agreed.

As Helena climbed in the wagon Laura said hello but Helena ignored her and went to the back of the wagon and sat with Grace. She stared straight ahead, not looking at anyone.

Caroline was walking home with Mary and Carrie from school, it had been a long day; arguing with Mrs Oleson, selling eggs, arguing with Mrs Oleson, saying goodbye to Charles, Laura and Grace, arguing with Mrs Oleson and then doing chores.

"Run along please Mary and get some water from the creek"

Caroline didn't feel well, she was almost home, just had to get over the hill

"Ma are we having chicken for dinner tonight?" Carrie asked.

"Yes Carrie, can you go and get another bucket and go down to the creek and get more water please," Caroline asked her. Carrie ran up the hill to get a bucket and off to the creek for the water. Caroline steadied herself on a fence … ahh, there it was, the house, finally she could rest. She walked inside and put the oven on so it would be hot for dinner. She sat down on the rocking chair and closed her eyes.

Mary walked over the hill, carrying water was annoying in the hot weather because she couldn't splash it on herself because that would waste, torture! She turned around to go back to the house and she saw that not so far in the distance flames were licking at her house. She ran as fast as she could.

"MA, CARRIE"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"MA, CARRIE" She screamed again at the top of her lungs as she raced up the hill with her buckets.

Carrie suddenly appeared at the top of the hill, dawdling with a couple of buckets.

"Mary what's wrong?" She asked anxiously. Mary simply pointed behind Carrie and they both started running back to the house.

"Ma, come on Ma, come out of the house," Carrie sobbed as they got closer.

The fire was coming from the kitchen which was next to the front door, so they went to the back door. Mary turned to Carrie.

"Carrie, go back to the creek and get as much water as you can and keep bringing buckets here, quick!"

Carrie raced off and Mary cautiously stepped into the front door with her buckets of water. She could see the fire in the kitchen, she had to find Ma before she put it out though. She crept through to the lounge room. She looked around and saw Ma sleeping peacefully in her rocking chair.

"MA," She screamed as she tried to shake her awake. She wouldn't awaken. She must have passed out from the smoke, Mary thought. She knew her Ma was too heavy to carry through the house so she only had one option left.

"I am really sorry Ma," Mary said as she tipped one of her buckets over her Ma's head.

Her Ma suddenly awoke, "Mary Henrietta Ingalls, what on earth did you just do?"

Mary pulled her Ma up and told her there was a fire in the house and they had to go and put it out now. They stumbled outside to where Carrie had already left four buckets of water and was coming up the hill with two more.

"Take two buckets Mary and aim for the chimney," Ma said as she picked up a bucket and threw the water out on top of the chimney. Ma suddenly felt woosy. She looked at Mary and suddenly saw five of her.

"Ma-a-r-y," She spoke as she fell down.

"MA," Carrie and Mary yelled simultaneously.

"So Helena, where do you go to school?" Laura asked. Helena turned to face Laura and merely said "Never been to school," and then turned back.

Charles had decided to go back home, he couldn't take Helena all the way to Mancato, she looked hungry and thirsty.

Grace was awakening, she leaned against Helena as her eyes fluttered open, "Laura, I am thirsty," She said to the figure who she was expecting to be her sister. She got a nasty shock when a strangers face stared back at her. She suddenly started crying.

"Oh, its okay," Helena said trying to soothe Grace.

Laura came to the back of the wagon and picked up Grace.

"Hey Gracie, its okay, we are going back home now, Ma and Mary and Carrie are waiting for us, remember?" She said to her as Grace's eyelids started to flutter back down again. She put Grace down and then put a blanket around her shoulders. She was about to go back and sit next to Pa when Helena spoke.

"So you got two more sisters," She said.

"Yeah, Mary is 15 and I am 13 and Carrie is 9 and Grace is 3."

Helena nodded and then went back to staring straight ahead. Laura abruptly walked over to Pa.

"Pa"

"Yes Laura"

"I think Helena is sad"

"I know," he said softly.

The sun suddenly came out from behind the trees and blinded Charles.

"AAH," He yelled as the wagon fell on its side the last thing he remembered was Laura having a big gash down her arm, he slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

What do you think? Is it worth continuing? I dunno …

Thanks "Tasha" and "Waterdragon 719" for reviewing.

352 people read this story and only 2 people reviewed!!!

I READ THE STATS PEOPLE!!!!

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